Everyone has a price tag! I once saw a discussion on internet forum where a lady had asked on behalf of her friend if it was alright to agree to go to bed with a man who was willing to pay US$ 1 million. If it is true that somebody made that kind of offer, then the lady’s conscience was still alive and active for her to have asked for advice. If her conscience was not alive, she could have just gone ahead without letting anybody know. But, on the other hand, the fact that she asked for advice also means that she entertained the idea, otherwise, she could have promptly and blatantly refused to enter into a bargain with her conscience. The weight of the offer seemed to have pressed down her conscience—it might have just been a question of time before her conscience would crash under the weight of $1million.

In October 2012, a 21-year-old Brazilian model, Catarina Migliorini, auctioned off her virginity to the highest bidder. She reportedly sold her virginity for $780,000 to a Japanese millionaire identified only as ‘Natsu’.

She later came out again to claim that she never received the money and the deal was never consummated. She was still going ahead with the auction and was accepting a minimum bid of $100,00 but hoped to make $1.5 million (1)

Sex is the most wonderful gift God gave to mankind. Its value is enshrined in its expression of mutual love between a man and a woman. The irony is that if it is offered as an item of trade, it becomes an abuse of the body and self—a curse rather than a blessing. That somebody is willing to pay that big money to a lady who is selling her sexuality shows how the devil will give anything material to steal man’s heritage with God.

For those who are wholly committed to Christ know that the price tag and worth of their life is the Blood of Christ. They honour the covenant of life, sealed by the Blood of Jesus by not allowing anything to contaminate their life. They cannot be bought by money, the amount notwithstanding, or anything else for that matter. They understand that Jesus did not threaten but warned when He said:

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”—Mark 8:36-37.

We should not allow ourselves be tempted and intimidated like Balaam. He started well the first time Balak king of Moab sent a delegation to him. He refused to curse the Children of Israel. But on the second visit, unlike the first where Balak sent the elders of Moab and Midian, he now sent princes—more honourable. The Bible also records that they were numerous. To get Balaam to compromise, the reward would also be as generous as the nobility was pompous. In fact, Balaam was allowed to name his price.

“And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the Lord will say unto me more.”—Numbers 22:15-19.

On the surface, he sounded determined not to go against God’s will when he said: “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more” (v.18). It turned out that Balaam did not speak out of conviction. His immediate action was not compatible with what he said. In verse 19, he asked the delegation to wait for him as he went to inquire from God. This was not necessary because he couldn’t have expected God to have changed His mind over the matter. He turned out to be a very bad steward going by the number of bulls they were purportedly sacrificing unto God. Those bulls lives were wasted, God never required those sacrifices.

It was clear that he did all that because he was indeed tempted and was finding a religious way to get the wages of unrighteousness. His heart’s inclination to Balak’s reward turned him from being a prophet of God to a soothsayer (Josh. 13:22).

“[False prophets] have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.”—2 Peter 2:15.

“Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”—Jude 1:11.

It is clear that nothing, the whole world included, should buy us. In Mark 8:36-37 we saw above, we are warned that we should not get or give anything to exchange with our soul. Yes, we have a price tag and the price is beyond the material world. Our price is the Blood of Jesus—this I must repeat. This being the case, isn’t it ridiculous that some people sell their souls so cheaply? That some people even pay to lose their soul is a mysterious insanity.

From the above we realize that it is extremely cheap to defraud some millions and by so doing sell one’s soul. What John the Baptist told his audience was therefore very minimal requirement of being stewards of integrity:

“Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.!—Luke. 3:12-14.